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Hawker , the new high end takeaway from Hang Dai Chinese , opens in Rathmines on Wednesday 27th August , but we've got an exclusive preview for ATF Insiders the weekend before. On Saturday 23rd August , Hawker will host two sittings (with seats!) for our subscribers, where you'll get to taste through most of the menu for €45 including a welcome drink - around 25% off regular prices. Prefer to eat at home? On Sunday 24th they'll have special ATF x Hawker bundles priced at €35pp (again a 25% discount) available for delivery or collection from the restaurant, with optional add ons of Hawker cocktails, beer and wine. Both will be limited, and both will be exclusively available to ATF Insiders . For the dine in preview on Saturday 23rd there will be two sittings at 5pm and 8pm. Tickets cost €45 for the full menu (regular or vegetarian) including a welcome cocktail. Each Insider can book for them and a plus one, and look at what you'll get to try if you're fast enough to grab a space (the vegetarian menu needs to be requested in advance) . For the takeaway/collection option , a bundle to generously feed two (with a vegetarian option to be requested in advance ) will cost €70 (again around 25% off regular prices), with optional wine and cocktail add-ons. Delivery will be available to Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8, and will take place between 4pm and 8pm (a time will be confirmed in advance). There will also be a limited amount of orders available for collection from the restaurant for anyone not in the delivery radius. Here's what you could be enjoying at home on Sunday night. This is an ATF Insiders-only event - sign up here  for €6 a month if you're not already part of the best food club in Dublin. Each Insider can book two spaces and bring a guest with them , or book a delivery/collection bundle for two. The links to book both the dine in preview and Hawker's first delivery service will go to everyone signed up to ATF Insiders tomorrow, Thursday 14th August at 10am . If you're not already signed up you can do so below.

After months of speculation about what is going into the old Loretta's site in Phibsborough, we can finally reveal that it's BORGO , a new "osteria locale" from restaurateurs Sean Crescenzi and Jamie McCarthy ( Hera , Crudo , Achara ). And the best part? ATF Insiders will get access to a soft launch a day before opening, with 20% off the bill. BORGO will be a neighbourhood Italian in the beautifully restored Old Bank Building on Doyle's Corner in Phibsborough — built in 1900 and "full of Venetian architectural charm" according to its new owners. They say its inspired by the deep culinary traditions of Italy, and restaurateurs whose travels have shaped their love for regional Italian cooking, like handmade pasta, wood-fired grilling, sourdough breads, and pizzette (not pizza!). They're calling the menu "a love letter to Italy", from Bologna's pasta dishes and Parma’s legendary cured meats, to Venice's laid-back lagoon dining and Abruzzo's farm-to-table ethos. They want to blend traditional techniques with top-quality Irish ingredients, and while plenty proclaim to do the same, these guys have already put their money where their mouth is in multiple award winning sites, so we have no doubt they'll do the same here. The menus still being finalised, but here's some highlights: BBQ'd padron peppers with Taleggio custard Burrata with spiced and burnt plums Wood-fired "carbonara" oysters 7-inch sourdough pizzettes flatbreads, perfect for sharing with antipasti, including 'nduja butter & Cais na Tire', and 'Guanciale, lemon ricotta & Cloonbook Reserve' Pasta made in house using organic free range eggs, including "THE" Amatriciana (a nod to Sean's Roman heritage) McLoughlin's BBQ bavette Whole fish Wild boar chops Lunch and breakfast will follow once they've got their feet on the ground, and they're aiming to be a seven-day affair like Crudo . They say want to give the neighbourhood a new venue for all occasions, offering the best value possible for the quality of food on offer, and we think this one's going to go down very well with locals, and the rest. Borgo officially opens on Friday 22nd August , but ATF Insiders get can access to an exclusive preview night on Thursday 21st , with 20% off the menu. We'll send out more details in the next few days, and ATF Insiders will get the booking link directly to their inbox.

From the best in seasonal Irish seafood to new ventures from our Eastern European friends; great value lunch to late night dinner; date night Italian style to a perfect summer sun spot while it lasts; these are our top spots to tick off in August... For a taste of Ukrainian food: Lucy, Clanbrassil Street   Keen to repay the kindness of Ireland in showing such welcome to the Ukrainian community, couple Viktoriia Horbonos and Mykola Kuleshov set up a market stall bakery business last year named for the latter’s grandmother to showcase the culture and cuisine of their homeland. Now they’ve made the leap to a sit-down spot on Clanbrassil Street called Lucy , serving pyrizhky (stuffed buns), varenyky (dumplings), cabbage rolls and waffle cake. With old school Ukrainian plates on the tables and portraits of Lucy herself on the walls, this looks like exactly the kind of wholesome spot we need more of in Dublin.   For best in season Irish lobster: The Dalkey Lobster Festival   Peak Irish lobster season is always worth celebrating, and Dalkey’s the place to do it this August, with the south Dublin village’s annual festival taking place on Saturday 23 rd and Sunday 24 th . Almost all the local outlets get in on the act, with stalls stringing the streets from blow-in vendors too, so whether you’re craving classic burgers and rolls, fancier plates like paella or thermidor, or even a Thai or Indian twist, there’s options to suit every taste. There’s also a packed programme of music, family-friendly activities and cooking demos to keep you entertained as you pause for breath between bites.   For great value lunches all made in-house: Honest to Goodness Café, Liberties   The name says it all at this homegrown café, which relocated from the city centre to the Liberties earlier this year. The candid socials   at Honest 2 Goodness taking on complaints about pricing (as if €10 for a sandwich was anything that raised an eyebrow these days) have caught our eye almost as much as the bulging servings themselves, and with homemade breads, sauces and fillings, we say that ranks as pretty good value for Dublin these days – you get what you pay for. The Friday sloppy Joe special   looks like the stuff of self-indulgent dreams.   For a great value dinner for night owls: Glas, Chatham Street   We all know the drill, you’re searching around for a great value deal with prices the way they are and all you can find is early birds that pack it in by 6pm. Well here’s veggie hotspot Glas leaping on the popular New York and London trend for “late bird” offerings – no more nipping out of work early to make it to town on time for a deal. Their menu has four options in each course at €32 for two or €36 for three – with a difference like that, who’d skip dessert? It runs from 9pm to 9.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays only.   For an Italian date night without the plane ride: La Strada, Aungier Street   If peak season pricing is putting a quick jaunt to la bella vita out of reach, you could always plop yourself down at La Strada and use your imagination – with the warmth and light of a late evening at this time of year, it almost works. The new pizzeria from Lucia Paduano, former owner of Rathmines institution Manifesto, has one of the cutest fitouts in town, with its cobbled floor and hanging foliage, and plenty of food that’s just as pretty, with a focus on seasonality and provenance that we’re all about. We see a new date night favourite in the making - read our two minute review here .   For a Mediterranean dinner in the sun… while it lasts: Tang, Cumberland Place A lot lesser known than the ever popular breakfast and lunch salads and flatbreads available across all of its branches, is Tang ’s Thursday and Friday night dinner menu in Cumberland Place. That’s good news if you want to nab one of their lovely outdoor terrace tables to lap up the late summer sun for as long as it lasts us. Especially given the wealth of great suppliers they work with, from Toonsbridge and Lilliput to Rings Farm and Ennis Butchers, the value here is top-tier with plates from €13 to €18 as high as the Middle East-inspired menu prices go.   For a happy sign of the times in diversifying Dublin: Jehan’s Heaven, Talbot Street   We’ll always give a little whoop of excitement when one of those Irish American tourist horde-courting Paddywagon places pulls down its shutters, but it’s even better when they’re replaced by something like this. Ella’s Heaven, the Talbot Street Georgian bakery whose selection of sweet treats and khachapuri puts it squarely among our best bakeries in town , has leapt on this space right across the road to open Jehan’s Heaven , with a charcoal grill and doner rotisseries adding to the ample pastry choices from over the way. It’s a sizeable space and a serious step up, and we can’t wait to get in.

Our 35 hottest list (formerly 30, things are too good out there) features the most talked about restaurants in Dublin right now, based on column inches, Insta love and the general pain involved in getting a booking. There are the restaurants with all the buzz, in alphabetical order, with three new entries for August... (It might also to read our guide on how to tables in the top ten hardest to book restaurants in Dublin) * This list doesn't include cafés or lunch-only options, everywhere here is open for dinner at a minimum Achara Where: Aston Quay, Dublin 2 Northern Thai BBQ-inspired Achara on Aston Quay, from the same owners as Crudo in Sandymount and Hera in Drumcondra, has felt like just what Dublin needed. The chilli caramel fish sauce wings, Killary Fjord mussel skewers, and whole chargrilled fish have the young and old lining up in tandem, and the premium cocktail and wine lists have them hanging around long after the food's gone. Read our review of Achara here .

Tis the season to be spending all your cash on lobster, but there's also ceviche if you're strapped for euros, and we're blaming the storm on our gnocchi craving. Here's the five things we can't stop thinking about eating in Dublin this week... 1) Dexter Beef Dadolata, Volpe Nera This is basically a Volpe Nera fan site, and can you blame us with plates like Dexter beef dadolata, pickled shemiji mushrooms and crisp pink potato on their lunch menu. Dadolata is a term that usually refers to diced vegetables, but they're clearly using it to tart up a tartare, and we're not mad about it. Find it in the starters section of their three courses for €38 menu - which is a mega deal if you ask us. 2) Blue lobster and baked rice, Note It's lobster season, and that season's a short one, so get eating while you still can, and we're not sure you'll do better this week than Note 's blue lobster with baked rice and coral sabayon - how fancy. At €75 for two this ain't a cheap crustacean, but it's not the King of them for nothing. 3) Vanilla whip and lime topped blueberry loaf, Bread 41 After months of conjecture (and even denial by the team at one point) Bread 41 have just opened their fourth site in Cabinteely, part of an objective to open three new bakeries a year for the next three years! This new blueberry loaf topped with vanilla whip, olive oil and lime zest might be available in all locations, but what a perfect opening gambit to show locals what they're all about. 4) Ceviche and Bloody Marys, Table 45 Table 45 are bring bone fide Chilean vibes to the city centre, and can we think of a better weekend combo than ceviche and Bloody Marys? No we cannot. 5) Wild mushroom gnocchi, La Maison We're blaming Storm Floris for our otherwise unexplainable craving for creamy mushroom gnocchi on this humid week (those storm winds do strange things to you). La Maison serve their hand-rolled potato pillows in a cep cream with wild mushrooms, spinach, and aged Parmesan, and we'd eat this any season.

What should we know about Parmezza? They’re cooking homemade pasta in a parmesan wheel! That’s certainly all we needed to know to get down to Liffey Street, where Parmezza ’s slotted into the spot occupied until recently by Il Fornaio. The build-your-own-bowl pasta bar opened at the start of the month, with some snappy social content and sunny pride of place in the newly-pedestrianised wake of the Ha’penny Bridge drawing curious crowds. Though its influencer operator  acting as if he’s not promoting his own place  raises a major red flag... 'Digital Creator' Yasin Çayır has a sizeable Instagram and YouTube following, which he's clearly hoping will help shift plenty of pasta. What’s on the menu? Hand-rolled tagliatelle (with naked pasta starting at €9.95) is the basic building block here – the gluten-free rigatoni that briefly appeared on the menu screen in their first days is now nowhere to be seen on printed menus. It’s tossed in the Insta-friendly cheese round before being ladled over with your choice of five sauces and eleven toppings, with optional crispy onion, truffle oil (bleurgh) or Parmesan to finish. Any illusions we had about the “mini trip to Italy” Parmezza promises were quickly dispelled (and misspelled) with “arabiata” and “napoliten” among the options before us. Those typos are at least in the ballpark, which is more than we can say for the flavour. The Arrabbiata  here only earns its “angry” name from how thoroughly grumpy the flat tomato stodge left us. Paired with soggy sauteed broccoli and flavour-free “jungle” (?) mushrooms it was nothing short of sordid. A serious lack of seasoning is the one unifying trait, never clearer than in the pasta itself – there's little doubt that the mass vats they’re boiling it in hadn’t been properly salted. That the cheese wheel was down to the rind hardly helped, the tossing not so much rendering a glossy cheese sauce as shedding a few stray curds to cling to the underdone ribbons. Desperate for flavour, we grabbed the cheap shaker and gasped as its loose lid spilled out more salt than intended – on balance, it was still better.   Unable to face chewing through much more of that pasta, we doubled up on toppings to sample a fair variety – please note we would not recommend pairing pesto and ragu. Not that we’d recommend the pesto in general, plonked on top with its oily excess. Great pesto sauce comes from emulsifying it with salty, starchy water; this half-done job just made for a paltry puddle. The ragu is the kind of rock-solid reliable you might have rustled up at home - by this stage we were taking that as a win.   We took a tip from our server and tried pairing feta and sundried tomato with the cream cheese sauce – look, we’d long ago given up any efforts at Italian authenticity – and soon found ourselves, not for the first time that day, filled with regret. It was probably too much to ask for a quick casual pasta bar in this location to be something special, but we’ve have settled for solid. We dared to dream of Trastevere – we got a plain old travesty.   Why should we go? Please don’t.   Parmezza 1 Liffey Street Lower, Dublin 1 instagram.com/parmezza.dublin

What should we know about Bakeology In?   Argentinian café Bakeology grew out of Argentinian couple Benjamin and Florencia Pugliese’s pandemic passion project delivering empanadas and alfajores. Four years of fast-paced mornings and delighted crowds of Latin American and Irish eaters alike later, they’ve outgrown the original space and snapped up a long-vacant one across the road for location #2 and a beefed-up brunch offering .   What did you have?   A spell standing in the sun in an out-the-door queue had us gasping when we finally got into Bakeology In – lemon and basil water (€6) was just the ticket. The cutesy ceramic penguins it’s served from are one of the many nostalgic nods to Argentina around the place – they host a different house lemonade each day.   Anyone who’s been to Bakeology will know to make straight for the empanadas. These crunchy, hot crust hand pies (€3.80) are essential, with seven fillings to work your way through. The beautifully browned crust with its smart (literal) branding goes someway to explaining the Insta-envious queue. The most interesting was bacon, prunes and cheese, with the deep sweetness of stewed fruit playing off the meat and mozzarella saltiness for a complex mouthful.   Ham and cheese plays it straighter and strikes a balance with its steaming sea of molten mozzarella hiding heaps of ham – biter beware, these were hot . The spiced shredded chicken with bell peppers and onions is a stalwart for good reason, with the juicy veg base ensuring tender meat throughout.   We skipped the three veg options given they all riff on the same filling found in the wild green medialuna (€12.50) – spinach, bechamel, onion and mozzarella. This pastry (also available smaller and unstuffed at €2.50) is often called the Argentinian croissant, but the similarity is in shape only, with a more brioche bite. Topped with goat's cheese, toasted walnuts and a honey drizzle, it’s the kind of loaded brunch dish that’ll see you through to dinner.   The same can't be said about the choripan (€12.50). For all the lightly-spice of beef chorizo, the basic, under-baked bread was gone in three bites, barely beefed up by solid but samey chimichurri and salsa criolla. A little basket of small, soggy chips took more from things than it added – of all the plates to plant an Argentinian flag in, this was not the one. Praise be for a pristine bombon helado (€6.50) to salvage what could have been a sad ending. This pretty picture of a dessert sandwiches strawberry ice cream between chocolate alfajores, all shrouded with dulce du leche and sealed in a case of dark chocolate far too hard for us to cut through as neatly as they did . It’s sweet, sharable, and a sight to behold.   Why should we go? We’ve grabbed an empanada or alfie in passing from Bakeology more times than we can count. To have the chance to sit and take our time over them across the road is just as welcome as the new lease of life Bakeology In brings to a previously-shuttered corner. If they can sort out that choripan, the D8 brunch scene might just have some hot new competition.   Bakeology In 58-59 Meath Street, Dublin 8 instagram.com/bakeology_in/

What should we know about La Strada?   Those who mourned the closure last year of Rathmines’ neighbourhood Italian Manifesto will be thrilled to see owner Lucio Paduano back with La Strada . The new pizzeria’s pretty fitout in the style of a side street terrazza makes the most of a small Aungier Street space. What’s on the menu?   Provenance is a cornerstone here, with a full page dedicated to laying out the quality Italian produce used throughout. Buffalo milk blue cheese is one Paduano’s particularly fond of . As paired in mousse form with tart Wexford strawberries (€12) it’s easy to see why, with a sharp shock of intensely funky flavour. Wafer-thin garlicky crostini are an ideal vehicle, if one in sadly short supply; a few more of these crisps would go a long way. Meatballs in marinara (€9) are less meltingly tender than we usually like them – the melt-in-the-mouth marvels of A Fianco  or Reggie’s  they ain’t – but the slow-cooked sauce hits the mark head-on. A shared garlic pizza with cheese (€8) offers a low-frills chance to assess the dough here, made with type 1 flour rather than the 00 more typical of Neapolitan style for a fuller, richer flavour (but bad news for coeliacs who swarmed Manifesto - no gluten-free options yet). There’s a lot to like in the soft, chewy, nutty crust even where it falls a little thicker than we like. The quality ethos really shines with fruity EVOO, oregano and flaky sea salt helping the mozzarella sing sotto voce . Mortazza (€19) is among the Manifesto holdovers – no mystery why from the first taste. Salty and smoky and sweet from the standout pairing of mortadella, Andria burrata and Bronte pistachio, it’s a deceptively light layered treat of top-quality products. Lured in by the sound of Caserta black pig cicoli and Spilanga ‘nduja, we found the calzone (€19) a bit of a letdown by contrast, with the fatty pork scraps’ flavour lost among pockets of sheep ricotta. The dough doubles as sandwich bread during the day via the “saltimbocca” menu – what the Roman classic of veal and prosciutto has to do with these we still can’t figure out – with a more thin and crispy treatment we found suited it even more. The simple sciue sciue (€9) is effectively a Caprese, and we had no complaints with individual elements this good. Masaniello (€13) is a much more complex creation with tender slices of Ariccia porchetta playing off the smoky notes of Agnerola mozzarella and filling garlic-rosemary potatoes. A light lunch this is not. Lucio’s “world famous” tiramisu is a rock solid rendition of this (let’s be honest) easy offering – we ate every bit but nobody is navigating the globe for it. Are there drinks? In lieu of wine (licence still pending) La Strada’s slinging a homemade lemonades (€5) that made for welcome relief from the late evening heat. Passionfruit and peach plays up the sweet factor but it’s the rounded flavour of watermelon and black tea that made an impression on us. Why should we go?   Amidst a rising tide of city centre slice shops, La Strada’s terraza of two-tops offers a date night oasis of top quality produce. La Strada 10a Aungier Street, Dublin 2 instagram.com/lastradad2

Eating out in Dublin doesn’t have to mean maxing out your credit card or surviving on bags of chips. Yes we know it feels like that lately but there are plenty of spots serving up legit incredible food that won’t break the bank - if you know where to look. From early bird menus set up for a midweek treat to generous portions in the right places, from a full on night out to a casual bite, these places prove that good food doesn’t have to come with the heftiest of price tags... Achara, Aston Quay Achara  keeps us coming back, not just for their Thai-inspired food, but also for the prices.  Their three course early bird menu is €25 a head, running Monday to Fridays from 17:00 to 18:30, and fo r groups, the family-style sharing menu is €45 per person, with snacks, small plates, large plates to share, and dessert. We dare you to find a better option for your gang's next night out, although you could easily be undone by the excellent cocktail and wine list - you've been warned. Read our once over here . 777, George's Street The king of the deal in Dublin is 777 on George's Street, running multiple days of the week. On Mondays, margaritas are two for €20, which is crazy good value considering they're normally €14 each. Tuesdays are for tacos where they offer two for €9 - enough said - and on Sundays, select menu items are €7.77. Lucky's, The Liberties Coke Lane pizza is the bomb dot com, and after a scan of all the reputable reliables in the capital, Lucky's have come in at the best value with their 10 inch margarita setting you back just over a tenner (€11.50 to be precise). The pies are hot, the beers are crafty, and there's jazz on Wednesdays.

The early bird menu is a bit of a throwback these days, mostly resigned to the 90's and noughties along with free bread baskets, balsamic glaze on everything, and garlic baguette as an acceptable starter. However the elusive early bird/pre-theatre/set menu can still be found in some more than acceptable places to eat, you just need to know where to look... Achara, Aston Quay Taking our gong for the best pre-theatre menu in town is new opening Achara , cooking Thai flavours over open flame. Their three course offer, featuring must-try dishes from the à la carte, is just €25 for three courses , available Monday - Friday from 17:00 - 18:30. Choose from chicken wings in chilli fish sauce caramel; baby kale fritters; or chilli beef krapao; with charred pineapple and whipped sheep's yoghurt for dessert. Read our once over here . Hawksmoor London-born steakhouse Hawksmoor have a set menu available until 18:00 Monday - Saturday, with two courses for €31 or three for €35. You'll find lots of their menu stalwarts on there like potted beef and bacon, rump and chips, and sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Read our once over here . The Seafood Café, Temple Bar Prefer seafood to steak? Head across the road to The Seafood Café , whose early bird runs until 18:30 from Monday - Friday. It's seriously good value with two courses for €27 or three courses for €32, with dishes like fish soup, baja tacos, ceviche, monkfish, and even lobster rolls. With those prices you may as well add on some happy hour oysters.

Brunch offerings in Dublin have ballooned over the last number of years, with plenty of restaurants and cafés of varying qualities looking to get a share of the hungry hordes out for a hangover cure, or just a low-key start to the weekend. With endless identikit menus serving up stuff you can make just as well yourself, it can be hard in these cash-strapped times to know what's worth venturing out for, but that's where we come in... Tang, Dawson Street, Abbey Street & Cumberland Place The small but mighty café on the corner of Dawson Street is best known for their Middle Eastern inspired lunches, with flavour-packed salads and meats drawing the work crowd, but their breakfast and brunch menus are where it's at. Tang serves an all-day brunch on the weekends, including a perfectly spicy shakshuka, and a granola bowl that we've tried to recreate at home an embarrassing number of times. Luckily for the people of Dublin they've opened two more locations in the last few years, both with more seats than the original. Kakilang, Bachelor's Walk Those with a sweet tooth will love Kakilang ’s menu, featuring Mi lle Crêpes - tender pancakes stacked high with light creamy fillings and sliced like a cake - and the famous Japanese souffle pancakes - tall, wobbly clouds covered in sweet silky cream and fresh fruit. They're cooked from scratch per serving so be prepared to wait a little while - it’s worth it. Pair with a coconutty taro milk tea with chewy tapioca balls for an all-in sweet hit, or for the more savoury minded there’s crispy gochujang glazed fried chicken, and deep fried chewy octopus balls topped with smoky bonito flakes and tangy takoyaki sauce. Jean-Georges at the Leinster, Mount Street Lower   If you like your brunches lush and laced with high end cocktails, Jean-Georges  in Mount Street’s Leinster Hotel might be the place for you. Sadly there was no sign of the €42 hash brown, laden with smoked salmon and pristine pearls of caviar, on their most recent brunch menu (which was pretty dull truth be told), but they're in the middle of updating it so who knows what they'll come up with. Regardless you're coming here for the space and the views. Nan Chinese, Stephen Street Lower   For those looking for an antidote to the omnipresent avocado toast, hit up Nan Chinese , who serve their excellent Dim Sum from the brunch compatible hour at 12pm every day. Try the Pork Soup Xiao Long Bao (and instigate a debate on how to properly consume soup dumplings while you’re at it), then move on to the delicately translucent Har Gao, with a juicy prawn and bamboo shoot filling. The Golden Bun with Char Sui Pork hits all the right brunch notes with meaty barbecue pork filling in a sweet doughy baked bun, and Nan’s traditional selection of fragrant Chinese teas are a fitting accompaniment to the salty, rich dumplings.

We struggle to understand why so many Irish restaurants are unwelcome to tiny diners - if they don't get the chance to eat out, how can they learn how to behave in those spaces. Plus food-loving parents are the perfect early evening table-filler, back out the door before 7pm to tackle bedtime. We have a way to go to compete with places like Malaga, Milan or Madrid, where young diners are often welcomed with more fanfare than their parents, and everywhere from corner cafés to Michelin-stars, well-behaved children sit calmly for meals, their parents enjoy a carafe of wine, families get together, all is right in the world... The good news is there are plenty of Dublin restaurants (41 in this article!) choosing not to freeze out the next generation (and their tired caretakers), trusting parents not to let their child run riot, throw food, or ask for chicken nuggets when they're not on the menu. We have our favourites, but also periodically ask you guys where you and your little ones feel welcomed and looked after. This article isn't about places serving margherita pizzas and chicken goujons, it's about where we want to eat, where taking kids doesn't make you feel like a pariah, with places that have high chairs, and either changing facilities or enough space to change a nappy without baby/Mum/Dad having a claustrophobic meltdown on the floor... GOOD FOOD FAST Caribou, Stephen's Street Lower You might not think of one of Dublin's most modish bars as the ideal place for a family meal, but the daytime food menu in Caribou is a dream for people who love fast food done the right way. Everyone will love the smash burgers, fish sandwiches and steak frites with peppercorn sauce, and there's loads of space for buggies, bags and whatever else you're dragging around with you. You'd be advised to avoid Sundays when the roast draws the hungriest of crowds and can make for a squeeze. Bujo, Sandymount Neighbourhood burger joint BuJo cook their grass fed, chargrilled burgers fresh to order, and it's one of the best burgers in the city. They're the only fast food restaurant in Ireland and the UK to hold a 3 Star rating from the Sustainable Restaurant Association, they take their environmental responsibility for the local community and the planet very seriously. It might be more expensive than Maccy D's, but it's worth every cent. There's a great kids menu, and it's counter-service so no need to book. Gaillot et Gray, Dublin 8 Wood fired French style sourdough pizzeria, with an outdoor terrace, and a bookshelf bursting with kids books, colouring pencils and paper. Serving artisan breads, pizzas, speciality coffee, indigenous herbal teas, wine and beer, Gaillot et Gray  is one of the most kid friendly restaurants in Dublin. Chimac, Aungier Street Korean-fried chicken draws the crowds to Chimac , either in a loaded burger or on generous plates of wings and drumsticks. There's frosé and beer for Mum and Dad, and the whole family will dive on the ice-cream cookie sandwiches for dessert.

The prices of everything sky-rocketing are bad enough when you're just trying to live your life, but throw in the expensive hobby of dating and it can quickly turn into a financial car crash. Tiktokers have been complaining about the cost of dating in Ireland, and can you blame them? €180 for a first date you'll probably never see again - sure you'd be as well just staying home and giving up on love. While there are plenty of free/ultra cheap date options (a walk in the park, a gallery visit, a coffee in town), sometimes you want/need to make more of an occasion of it, so here are 12 places to take that (possibly) special someone for food that might stop you having to deleting the dating apps until next month... Hong Kong Wonton, Dublin 2 Hong Kong Wonton , from the people behind Asia Market , has a brilliantly central location on buzzy Fade Street, and with the most expensive dish on the menu €13, you can enter safe in the knowledge that you'll be able to leave with change from a fifty. Wontons are unsurprisingly the star dish, either on their own, in noodle soup or with lo mein, and it's soft drinks only, which also helps with the bill. Sofra, Dublin 1 Turkish grill house Sofra is just off Henry Street, so you can distract yourself with some window shopping beforehand if you're feeling nervous. You can go all out with a mixed grill platter for two with bread and mezzes for €55, or eat as you go with grill specials priced at €15-€18, and kebab plates €13.50. They don't sell alcohol and though it's been printed elsewhere that they allow free corkage, they've since confirmed that they don't. Read our once over here . Biang Biang, Dublin 1 Lovely little Biang Biang , just off Capel Street, is a true taste of the Xi'an region of China, amongst plenty of pretenders. It's walk in only but you won't be waiting long, and you could always go for a quick one in Bar 1661 around the corner if there's a wait. We're not going to say that their hand-pulled noodles, cold skin noodles, and beef dumplings are the most elegant things to eat, but if they're not into you with chilli oil dripping down your chin do you really want to spend any more time with this person? Mains are €11-€14, and basic beer and wines cost €6 and €8 a glass.

We've all been there. You're planning a special birthday or anniversary dinner, or need to book something good with that foodie friend who's back in town for one night only, and the penny drops: oh GOD, it's a Monday! While things have come on a bit from when the start of the week was a veritable dining desert, Monday's still the quietest night of the week by a ways - here's your cheat sheet for where to book ahead or try your luck with a walk-in, and all the best offers they're luring you in with... Bar Pez, Kevin Street Yelps of glee were heard all around the city when Bar Pez  recently announced a pivot to a 7-day service. The Spanish-style seasonal small plates joint from the brains behind Fish Shop  recently made us weak at the knees with boudin noir rarebit and scallop toast – not to mention the obligatory gilda and vermouth to start. You’ll get a walk-in if you’re lucky, but this one’s worth planning for. 777, George’s Street John Farrell’s flagship Mexican 777  makes an effort to lure in a Monday crowd with a 2 for €20 margarita deal all night long – reason enough for us. Be warned for summer outings that their outdoor “afuera” area doesn’t open this side of the week, and if there's less than six in your party it’s walk-ins only. Full Moon Thai, Temple Bar For that "I'm sitting on a beach on Koh Pha Ngan" feeling, you need a trip to Full Moon Thai for papaya salad, laab moo, and deep-fried whole seabass. The wine and cocktail list is better than you might expect, and there's some outside tables on buzzy Parliament Street.

This isn't continental Europe. Contrary to popular belief restaurants in the Irish capital do not close en masse on Sundays. It's true that almost everywhere serving a tasting menu shuts for a day of rest, but there are countless other options from tapas to steak to the very best of Irish seafood. Here's where to go when you need a serious feed of a Sunday in Dublin city centre (and within walking distance of it)... City Centre and surrounds Table 45, Hogan Place Chilean tapas are served six nights a week at Table 45 , and Sunday is one of them. Go for the Empanadas, stay for the Lomo Saltado, and don't leave without trying a Pisco Sour. Read our once over here . Coppinger & Row Wines, Coppinger Row Coppinger and sister wine bar next door Row Wines are both open on Sunday night, for prime city centre dining. The former is your best bet for a traditional three course meal; the latter if you want small plates and picky bits. Both have great outdoor seating on Coppinger Row and lots of lovely things to drink too. Pickle, Camden Street Sunil Ghai's Indian destination Pickle is continuously booked out at weekends, but you might get lucky on Sunday. The goat keema pao is the one, but you can't put a foot far wrong in here. There's a €90 tasting menu available on request, and a €120 slow-braised leg of lamb to feed 3-4 if you're going all out (needs to be ordered 48 hours in advance).

We all know that salad and sunshine go together like… well, tasty cold food and hot weather. We’re officially at that time of the year where eating salad for at least one meal a day stops being an unchecked item on your to-do list, and turns into an activity to plan your day, and Insta stories, around. In an attempt to appease the Weather Gods, here’s our (and your) favourite places to eat salad in Dublin... Sprout, various locations in Dublin Hands down, the most loved place in Dublin for a salad by our readers is salad bar Sprout , which now has seven locations across Dublin. The Bombay and charred chicken taco bowls get a lot of love, but the meat-free options also make Sprout stand out, with the tofu satay and chick-please bowls singled out as two of the best. Tang, three city centre locations Coming in a close second was Tang , whose selection of daily changing salads start at €8.95, and include a "fresh", "roast" and a "grain" option. You can do a protein add on with hummus, chicken, lamb or beans, and more extras like tzatziki and focaccia if you're feeling insatiable. Find them on Abbey Street, Dawson Street and Cumberland Place. Tiller + Grain Say salad in Dublin and someone will shout " TILLER + GRAIN ". Their daily changing salads are a riot of colour, texture and flavour, and you won't find any boring options in here. While known for being "not cheap" (a salad box with protein will set you back €16-€17), they are known for being very, very good. Tír Deli, Hatch Street Upper Seasonal Irish deli Tír exists to connect their customers with the farms and food producers they source their ingredients from. It's not just about the feelgood factor though - these guys know what they're doing when it comes to maximising flavour. They've always got two seasonal bowls on the go, usually one with Feighcullen free-range chicken, and the summer veggie option comes with Toonsbridge halloumi, smoked tomato pesto, summer salsa, marinated egg, roasted veg, hot honey and seasonal leaves. With both bowls coming in at €12 this is great value for premium produce. Caribou's Caesar Salad Caribou 's Caesar salad is a masterclass in the genre. Every element on the plate - Romaine lettuce, Grana Padano, Caesar dressing and thin, crispy croutons - is perfection, with just the right amount of everything. You can add grilled or fried chicken, but it doesn't need it. On our last visit it was €11, or €15 with chicken. The Old Spot's Caesar Salad Over in Dublin 4 there's another Caesar salad grabbing headlines at everyone's favourite gastro pub, The Old Spot . Theirs has roast chicken, crispy Parma ham, aged Parmesan and croutons, and while it's €20, this is a dine in and sit back affair. Fairmental, Dublin 4 Fairmental near Grand Canal Dock have replaced soup with panzanella-style salads for the summer months, and we're hearing all the positive noises. They're also serving a new prawn cocktail bowl, with wakame, sesame, confit almonds slow-cooked in garlic, and a marie-rose sauce containing prawn shell mayo and preserved lemons. That one we're gona need to try. The Fumbally, Dublin 8 There always a lovely salad line up at The Fumbally which changes day to day, but you can expect the most seasonal veg, local cheese, homemade bread, and veggie protein for €14.50 (on our last visit). You'll feel so good after eating one that you can totally justify one of their doughnuts afterwards. Honey Truffle Kitchen, Pearse Street Honey Truffle Kitchen  is a magnet for salad lovers, with their vivid bar capable of turning the heads of even the most ardent sandwich fans. Salads are as you would expect seasonal, with watermelon and feta a recent summer addition, but it's all health-filled and flavour-packed. Salad boxes come in different sizes with optional dips, toppings, seeds and cheese, and you can also add protein if you're not hitting your macros. Honest To Goodness, The Liberties Liberties Café Honest to Goodness are not phoning it in with the salads. Their "Legend Salad" started out as a special, but customers demanded it was on the menu every day. With all the veg, kalamata olives, feta, seeds, beans, honey-dijon dressing and your choice of either chicken or hummus, we can see why these events unfolded. There's also the 'Peruvian trout' with lentils, corn and tiger milk dressing, and chicken Caesar with roast thighs, Pecorino and a crouton crumb. Emer's Kitchen, Leeson Street The Emer's Kitchen salad bar is legendary around Leeson Street, with few cafés seeming to elicit such a dedicated, heartfelt following from customers. They change daily but you can get three salads (they say they use the term loosely) in a box with meat, chicken, salmon or frittata for €9.50, or €12.90 with protein. Shouk, Drumcondra The Shouk mezze is legitimately legendary, with nothing changing in the past few years, and nothing ever needing to - there would be a riot, and we'd be top of the queue. The aubergine and red pepper, the Morroccan carrot, the roasted cauliflower with tahini, the tabouleh... Not to mention the Shouk salad with sumac and fried pita bites - getting your five a day has never tasted so good. Nutbutter, Grand Canal Dock and Smithfield Nutbutter serve superfood bowls in super pretty surroundings in both of their locations, northside and south. It's very easy to be vegan or vegetarian in here, but just as easy to add chicken or tuna sashimi to their warm bowls. It's recommended we eat 30 plants a week - you easily get 10 in one bowl in here - and soon you'll be able to get their goodness in Dundrum too! As One As One on City Quay has a menu focused on gut-health as a way of improving overall wellness, and their salad bar serves local organic produce from McNally, Abercorn and Beechlawn organic farms (with properly seaonal veg) from Monday - Thursday. There's always three salads with house dips/hummus/kimchi/pickles/pesto, and the option to add protein like Goatsbridge trout and Rings Farm free range chicken. A small box costs €6.50, while a large will get you the lot plus protein for €13.50 - it's hard to argue with that value for this quality of ingredients. What are your favourite places for a salad in Dublin? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie

Despite the unpredictable weather (jokes, we all know July in Dublin = washout), there's all kinds of summer feels in the new dishes hitting menus across the city this week. From razzleberry pies to rosé jelly desserts, here's what we've been thinking about to forget the rain... 1) Razzleberry pie, No Messin' Bakery What's a razzleberry you ask? We did, and found out it's a mix of almost every Irish berry available to No Messin' Bakery in Smithfield from Malone's fruit farm in Carlow - raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and gooseberries. Add to that Irish wheat from The Little Mill in Kilkenny, free range eggs from North Wicklow and Irish butter (just LOOK at that flaky pie dough), and we think this would beat even your Granny's most impressive handiwork. It's €31 and only available through this special link sent to those subscribed to their newsletters. 2) Tamales with truffle, Suertudo Suertudo in Ranelagh are keeping us on our toes with new dishes seeming to hit the menu every week. The "Tamal con Trufa" has just arrived and get a load of this for a spin on a traditional Mexican snack food. Truffle butter, red pepper, goat cheese, macadamia nuts, salsa asada & courgette flower. Aye aye aye... 3) Lamb kafta slice, Mani All this week at Mani on Drury Street you can get this special Lamb Kafta slice as part of One Plate For Palestine , with 100% of proceeds going to charities working to provide food, water and relief in Gaza. They're topping their pizza al taglio with spiced and smashed lamb mince, housemade labneh, sumac onions and cheese, and even without the added charitable benefit we'd be queuing up for a slice. 4) French toast with labneh ganache and sumac strawberries, Slice There's another very special special on at Slice in Stoneybatter this week, also taking part in One Plate For Palestine . Their D7 offering is a French toast with caramelised white chocolate, labneh ganache, mejdool date caramel, sumac strawberries and pistachios. If you can't make it in you can still donate here . 5) Rosé and peach jelly, Canal Bank Café If summer was a dessert, it would be this rosé and peach jelly with peach mascarpone, raspberries, crushed amaretti biscuits and almonds at Canal Bank Café . A glass of pink bubbles on the side and some sun on our face and we'd be anybody's.

It's been a July heatwave so far, and we're turning up the heat even more with another nine brilliant prizes to thank our paying subscribers for keeping ATF operating. Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders goes automatically into the draw - you just sit back and enjoy the content, and a potential added bonus might be coming your way... As an ad and invite-free website, ATF Insiders is how we're funded, ensuring that every recommendation is made without influence, and you can trust that reviews are honest and unblemished by invites and freebies. Everyone who signs up for ATF Insiders by midnight on Thursday 17th July will be entered into this month's prize draw, and winners will be selected on Friday 19th July. Good luck :) 1) An overnight stay with breakfast at Fota Island Resort We're sending one of you on an overnight stay with breakfast for two people to the five-star Fota Island Resort in East Cork, to get away from it all with walking trails, an indoor swimming pool, the world class Fota Island Spa, the fine dining Cove Restaurant, or tee time on the stunning golf course, surrounded by picturesque forest and woodland. You can visit Fota Wildlife Park, Fota House and Gardens, Cork's English Market, Ballymaloe’s gardens and shops, the farmers market in Midleton, Ballycotton’s cliff walk, Cobh, the beautiful blue flag beaches nearby - the options are endless! Check out all their latest offers at  www.fotaisland.ie . 2) An overnight stay at The Heritage, Laois, with breakfast and Afternoon Tea We're sending another lucky Insider to The Heritage in Co. Laois this month, for an overnight stay with breakfast and their signature afternoon tea in the Galleria. The four-star hotel and spa in the pretty village of Killenard, County Laois, has loads of things to do, from golf on the 18-hole Seve Ballesteros course, to Elemis treatments in the award-winning spa, to walks and trails in the Slieve Bloom mountains. Check out their brilliant midweek breaks or summer escapes here . (T&C's apply, not valid on bank holidays) 3) Lunch for two with Bloody Marys at The Fitzwilliam Hotel The Fitzwilliam Hotel on St Stephen's Green has been known for its Bloody Marys since opening in 1998, and over 25 years later they've brought in a new Bloody Mary menu in a nod to their past. They're serving five different versions of one of the world's most distinctive cocktails, each day in the lounge from midday to 10pm, and there's a new food menu to go with it, featuring snacks, salads, sandwiches, small and large plates. We've got a three-course lunch for two with Bloody Marys to give away this month so you can settle into the lounge, sip on a "Five Star Bloody Mary", and decide what you're going to eat. Check out the lounge and menus here . 4) Three-course summer lunch for four with drinks at Hawksmoor This summer Hawksmoor are bringing the best possible value to meat lovers, with a steak and a side at lunchtime for just €21! And you can upgrade to a two course lunch for €24, or a three-course for €27 - pretty hard to beat prices for Dublin right now, particularly for 35-day dry-aged Irish rump . To celebrate this unreal steak deal in one of Dublin's most beautiful dining rooms, we've got a three-course summer lunch for four to give away, with either a cocktail each or a bottle of wine to share. Check out the summer lunch menu and book here . 5) Dinner from the pre-theatre menu for two at One Pico If the cost of literally everything is kicking your ass, but enjoying the finer things in life is just who you are, get yourself into One Pico for their early evening menu. The short menu (canapés, breads, starter, main course) is €48, and the long (all of that plus dessert/cheese and petit fours) is €60, and with dishes like lamb ravioli and butter-roasted monkfish, this is fine dining at a much easier to process price tag. It's available every day they're open (even Friday and Saturday!) with last orders at 6pm, and it's basically the same menu as the regular €78/€98 menu, with a €30-€40 saving. More money to spend on those mighty fine wines. Check them out here . 6) Six VIP Sunday Tickets to Big Grill Festival Europe's largest BBQ & food festival, Big Grill , is back in  Dublin’s Herbert Park from Thursday 14th - Sunday 17th August. Bringing dishes you'd usually have to travel the world to taste, from some of the biggest Irish and international names from the BBQ and grilling world, they describe it as " a food festival led by the finest ingredients, fed by fire ." We've got six Sunday tickets to give away this month with access to VIP area Rancho Relaxo , two complimentary drinks per person, guaranteed seating, garden games and a private bar. Visit www.biggrillfestival.com  for the full line up and tickets. 7) €100 voucher for Green Earth Organics The summer harvest is in full swing at  Green Earth Organics - the 100% certified organic family-run vegetable farm in Corrandulla, Co. Galway, and its nationwide organic grocery delivery service . Get chemical-free produce from their farm and those of other organic growers around Ireland, as well as over 800 organic grocery items, from cheese to bread to pantry items. Few things make us happier than an online shop from Green Earth, and our lovely boxes of organic food arriving on the doorstep, and one of you will be on the organic food buzz this month with a €100 voucher for the website. Check out the Green Earth range here . 8) A bumper beer delivery from Galway Bay Brewing Galway Bay Brewery , one of Ireland’s top independent brewers, have just launched their latest creation - Figo Pilsner (4.5%) . It's their indie take on the increasingly everywhere Italian Pilsner style, inspired by the crisp, modern lagers served in Northern Italy. They've brewed Figo to have a smooth, soft finish with delicate European hop aromas, for a bright, clean and always fresh summer lager. We've got a bumper prize pack of 36 beers from Galway Bay Brewery to give away this month, featuring the new Figo Pilsner and their Lush Extra Pale Ale, which should see you through to the end of summer (or to the end of your next barbecue). Find them in off licenses nationwide and all Galway Bay bars . 9) A six month jam subscription from Mór Taste Wexford-based  Mór Taste are officially the producer of “Ireland’s fruitiest Jams”, made from 85% fresh fruit and up to 70% less sugar than other jams. Founder Felix Oster thinks that more fruit means more flavour (and less sugar), and also keeps Mór's jams free of preservatives, artificial sweeteners and fruit concentrates. We've got a six-month jam subscription to give away to one ATF Insider this July, where you'll be sent five of their multi-award winning flavours to try each month, like Mixed Berry, Blueberry, Cherry and Raspberry, all of which have recently hit the shelves of Tesco stores nationwide. Buy online or check for stockists here . Everyone signed up for ATF Insiders in July (both new and old) will be automatically entered into the prize draw. You don't need to do anything. If you're not signed up yet, join here before midnight on Thursday 17th July. Your support promotes independent reviews and news in Dublin and beyond, and allows you to get answers to any dining questions directly from us.

What should we know about Bolt Burger? Returned to its former home in The Fourth Corner after an earlier eighteen month popup wrapped back in 2023, Bolt Burger  pitches a menu perfected over several festival stalls since. We’d been meaning to make it in here for a while when the launch of a summer special triple smash provided the final push. What’s on the menu? Not what’s online, be warned. We were wooed by deep-fried lasagna nuggs but alas they’ve been nixed since the site went live – mozzarella sticks couldn’t quite set our eyes alight in the same way. We took some solace in a legitimately punchy sweet chilli dip, nicely cutting through the oozing excess of sweet, stringy cheese - these aren’t Reggie’s level, but they get the job done. Wings are of a similarly solid standard. Despite the novel promise of Bolt seasoning, the dominant flavour here is all Frank’s – no bad thing, but nothing to rush for either. The dip needs a rapid rethink though. Listed only as “garlic”, it’s got the sweetened tang of roasted bulbs. If blue cheese ain’t broke… You haven’t clicked in to read about Bolt's Tacos but you’ll forgive a brief foray into the Thursday-only three-for-€10 deal when you hear about Beamish-braised barbacoa beef. As card-carrying advocates of the superior black stuff (not up for debate) we leapt in and lapped up, and this tender taco is one of the tastiest around. Shredded chicken and plant-based mince just can’t compete - our top tip is to order three of the beef and a pint to pair with it. Bolt’s burgers, which they’ve just begun sourcing from FX Buckley, are clearly made of superior stuff, indecently juicy from crisp edge to crisp edge – date night material this finger-dripping mess most certainly is not. While we’re not wholly convinced a third patty has any more than sheer indulgence to justify itself, the price point landing in at less  than a double smash with bacon almost makes this mandatory if your appetite can handle it. Proper quality skin-on fries come with all burgers, crisp and well-seasoned enough to eat without any add-ons – but moderation isn’t exactly among our virtues so we upgraded to a loaded chicken katsu. If the battered, bulky tender’s style didn’t quite live up to breaded, sliced expectations, the taste at least did. This is a helluva feed for a famished soul. With our well-aired (and not always shared) aversion to truffle oil we weren’t overly sold on the other loaded fries option, a thick-spiked aioli lashed with parmesan. Those less fussy about the in-your-face artifice of the flavour may enjoy these more. Likewise, non-meat-eaters will probably find favour with the mixed veg patty, but its rainbow stodge was a lot less interesting to us than the Beyond Meat-style smash offering we’d heard they had previously. Why should we go? Against tough local competition from Dash and Bunsen  down the road, Bolt isn’t likely to emerge everyone’s favourite, but its smart Fourth Corner colocation puts these burgers a cut above (and a cost below) other pub grub purveyors around. If you're out for a drink with food that's not filler, you'll be well served here - on deal days especially. Bolt Burger 50 Patrick Street, Dublin 8 instagram.com/boltburgerdublin

With another heatwave (apparently) on the agenda, summer might well be saved. We're thinking California taco vibes, rooftop retreats, and the best gelato in town. Here's where we'd send you if you asked us where you should eat in July... For the potential new star in town: Comet, Joshua Lane It's been a much quieter opening that we anticipated for chef Kevin O'Donnell's Comet , where wine bar La Ruelle used to be off Dawson Street - more of an industry-only whisper than a public megaphone announcement that they were open. He cut his teeth in Bastible (who are backing this restaurant) before leaving Dublin seven years ago and moving to Denmark to work at two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Kadeau in Copenhagen, where he ended up as head of R&D. When chefs leave Michelin-starred restaurants to go it alone, rest assured that the inspectors won't take long to come knocking... Read our once over here . For the feel-good industry story of the year: Kaldero, Dublin Dreams do come true. After Press Up made yet another mess of yet another restaurant , the group's new owners (under new name Eclective), have made the first sensible food-based decision maybe ever, and given over Kaldero on South King Street to Bahay 's Richie Castillo (chef) and Alex O'Neill (marketing and branding) to work their magic. We've never had a dish from Bahay that was anything else than very exciting, and Dublin city centre having its first upscale Fillipino eatery is another reason to get in before it gets too busy. For all the LA vibes on the Northside: Chubby's Kitchen, Clontarf Barry Stephens’ is the man behind iconic sandwich shop 147 Deli (may she rest in peace) and taco truck Just Chubby’s , which parked up in Clontarf three years ago and has been delighting local taco lovers ever since. They took a longer than expected Christmas break this year, teasing a big new direction, and Just Chubby's has now grown into fully fledged restaurant Chubby’s Kitchen . We are obsessed with the Californina-style, eclectic fit out of this room, and what we've seen so far of the food looks obscenely tasty. Look out for our once over coming soon. For Dublin's first PROPER food court: Priory Market, Tallaght You couldn't possibly have missed all the buzz over the past few weeks about Dublin's first legit food court and market , and while we'd have preferred to have it in the city centre and more accessible to all, we will most definitely be schlepping out to Tallaght at our earliest convenience - lucky lucky them to have this on their doorstep. ATF favourites Bless Up, El Milagro and Coke Lane have moved in, and we're dying to get a taste of Venezualen Flavouritos, Lebanese Zaira, and Italian Buongousto. There's a brewery and tap room on site, as well as a coffee roastery, wine bar and cocktails, so leave the car at home if you can. For mainly wine, with snacks: Fion Eile Okay this is more somewhere you should drink in July, but olives, almonds and crisps are still food right? New Phibsboro wine shop Fion Eile have just started serving wines by the glass and a few nibbles from Thursday - Sunday. A great excuse to hang around rooting through the shelves a bit longer, or just sit and sip and ask about what bottles you should rehome. For the scarce few weeks you can eat on an outdoor rooftop: Kinara Kitchen, Ranelagh The clock is ticking for outside eating in the summer of '25, so get that lunch and dinnertime vitamin D while you can. Kinara Kitchen 's Ranelagh rooftop + their new summer cocktail menu + their Friday and Saturday night pre-theatre menu with two courses for €35 = precious summer memories. For what might be Dublin's best gelato: Parnell Street Bakery, Parnell Street You'd be forgiven for not having room for gelato after all the pastries, patisserie and sandwiches you may have ingested at Parnell Street Bakery , so you'll need to plan a gelato-specific visit this summer. The flavour list is compact but you won't be complaining when you taste their coconut gelato or chocolate brownie special - this is batting with the city's (probably the country's) best ice-cream options. The coffee from Imbibe is also flawless - DIY affogato?

It's a July fruit extravaganza, there's melted cheese for days, and our favourite cocktail inspires the city's newest chicken wings . Here's what we really really want to eat in Dublin this week... 1) July Specials, Elliot's Who do Elliot's think they are coming up with specials like a fig leaf, raspberry and coconut croissant tart; a matcha and gooseberry choux au craquelin; and a kimchi laminated brioche. We have enough to be doing at the weekend without having to suffer this level of FOMO. 2) Triple Strawberry Bakewell , Mud Bakery They had us at strawberry. At triple strawberry bakewell we were signed, sealed and delivering ourselves to Mud Bakery at Glasnevin Market. Strawberry jam, roasted strawberries and fresh strawberries - the season's short, how better to make the most of it. 3) Melted Cooleney Cheese with Crispy Bread, Ely Wine Bar From sweet to cheese, we're shook at how good Ely Wine Bar 's melted Cooleney cheese looks. That crispy bread for dipping is a gamechanger. Find it on the small plates menu. 4) Margarita chicken wings, Chimac Never have we been more tempted to run for a plate of chicken wings, than when we saw these Margarita ones from Chimac . Twice-fried for extra crunch, they're finished with salt, lime, tequila and tajin - what genuis came up with this. Find them on special right now. 5) Tupa lamb ribs, Bahay Bahay have wasted no time ripping up Filipino flavoured trees since taking over the kitchen at Kaldero just last week. Early reports are fantastic, and we're hardly surprised looking at these Tupa lamb ribs. There's a humba glaze on the McLoughlin butcher meat (they describe it as Adobo's sweeter cousin), then they add fermented black bean and muscovado sugar, before finishing it on the Smokin' Soul grill. Pickled kolhrabi on the side is the crunchy icing on the cake.

With markups soaring across the city as restaurants struggle to close the ever-growing viability gap, we’ve noticed time and again fewer people enjoying a glass with their meal. For many that’s by necessity rather than choice (although the low and no alcohol movement is definitely another factor), and one of the most common queries we’ve had lately from our ATF Insiders is where can we BYO in Dublin.   So whether you’re looking to avoid punishing prices or just go all-out with a special bottle you’ve been saving at home, here’s the best options to bring your own along – and all the corkage charges. FREE CORKAGE Fayrouz, Cork Street A taste of Lebanon in the Liberties, Fayrouz has an authentic menu of mezzes and grilled meats, alongside like shawarma, shish and sumac chicken. Vegetarian options are particularly good, while their tabbouleh has a rightful reputation as among the city’s best. Corkage is free for tables of fewer than six, and nearby Molloy’s has Lebanon’s famed Château Musar wine in stock for a perfect pairing option. Rotana Café, Parnell Street   With the original Portobello branch shuttered last year after 16 years in the neighbourhood, longstanding Lebanese restaurant Rotana are giving it their all on the east end of Parnell Street with a selection of charcoal-grilled kebabs, falafel sandwiches and mezze platters at very good prices. Corkage is free when you have two courses. The Wine Pair, Clanbrassil Street   The Wine Pair  opens from Wednesday to Sunday for wine drinking and small plate eating, but Sunday is the day to visit when you can drink anything off the shelf with no corkage charge. Zero. That's around half price depending on the bottle. They're open from 13:00 - 18:00 - day drinking it is. Shaka Poke, Blackrock Market Picture the next mini heatwave in Dublin. Then picture yourself slipping into Blackrock Cellar , coming out with a cold bottle of rosé, and shoring up in Shaka Poke to enjoy it with an Ahi Tuna bowl and an Açai for dessert. This dream can be a reality at lunch every day, or at dinner from Wednesday - Sunday. Dada, South William Street Top-quality Irish meat gets the Moroccan treatment in Dada , with a menu full of with traditional tagines and couscous. Their harissa can make for some seriously spicy dishes, so be sure to pair wisely. Corkage is free from Sunday to Wednesday, or €5 per wine bottle and €2 per beer otherwise. You’ll need to clock up a minimum spend of €35 per person across two courses to avail. CORKAGE CHARGE Fallon & Byrne's Wine Cellar, Exchequer Street   The basement wine cellar in Fallon & Byrne  offers a corkage charge of €10 on any wines off the shelf from Wednesday to Saturday, which is already great value, but from Sunday to Tuesday it's just €1. That's at-home prices in the comfort of a wine bar. If ever we needed convincing of midweek drinking or a last ditch attempt to ward off the Sunday scaries... Pho Ta, Temple Bar   Delicious, flavour-filled Vietnamese food in Temple Bar with the friendliest staff. Try Pho Ta 's unusual looking (but amazing tasting) steamed rice paper rolls with prawn, the cold beef salad or the crispy fried rice noodles with chicken or prawn. Corkage is €5. Hawksmoor, Dame Street Hawksmoor ‘s popularity has scarcely let up since landing on College Green back in 2023, but a visit here won't come cheap (that €2 million fit out won't pay for itself). Make the most of your visit by going on a Monday where they'll let you BYO for just €5 (you can also do it Tuesday - Sunday for €25), and for maximum value you can bring a Magnum, Nebuchadnezzar or Balthazar for the same price. That's a corkage deal that won't be beaten. Arisu, Capel Street   Korean BBQ restaurant Arisu charge €6 corkage, but glasses are predictably unsuitable for fine wine. If you're not fussy you can wash down your barbecued bulgogi, pork ribs and lamb chops with a bottle of your choice (or bring your own glassware - we've done it). Best to go with something fruity and fleshy like a Riesling or Grüner Veltliner to pair with all the spice. Musashi, Parnell Street   Musashi now has six locations across Dublin, with sushi aficionados frequently mentioning it as one of Dublin's top spots. A hot tip is to go mid-afternoon when they've sold out of lunchtime stock and are making it fresh. Only the Parnell Street branch allows BYO and corkage is €6 per bottle. The Vintage Kitchen, Poolbeg Street There was widespread upset among our ATF Insiders when The Vintage Kitchen  dropped their BYO policy on reopening post-covid, with memories of great nights and special bottles flooding our DMs. Their own must have got the same feedback, as they’ve brought it back for Monday and Tuesday nights only. It’s a straight €7 per bottle charge. M&L Chinese, Cathedral Street   A mainstay of authentic Sichuan food in Dublin, the dumplings and fried green beans with chilli at M&L Chinese have caused many addictions to be formed over the years (raises hand). Corkage is €7 but go easy on the chilli oil if you're taking something nice. We have brought our own wine glasses here, and we recommend doing the same if it's a really good bottle. Pho Kim, Dublin 1   Some of the best Vietnamese food in the city with excellent savoury pancakes, pho and bun (rice vermicelli with a combination of meat, spring rolls, fresh vegetables and herbs). Pho Kim charge corkage of €7 on wine and €1.50 on beer.   Damascus Gate, Camden Street   Despite the name, Damascus Gate  goes well beyond Syria’s borders in a menu that stops off in Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen and more – fine by us. The mixed grills and Syrian cheese are among the top picks here, and it’s also the only place in Dublin we know of where you can get syadeih, one of the very best Middle Eastern fish dishes. Corkage is €7 per bottle. The Dog House, Howth Quirky décor and a dog-friendly policy (duh) make this charming spot beside Howth’s Dart Station a cosy place to kick back with a drink. The seafood offering at The Dog House  is as strong as you’d hope by the shore, with plenty of burgers, pizza and pasta alongside. It’s €7.50 corkage for wine and €1.75 per bottle of beer. Zakura, Upper Baggot Street, Wexford Street & Ranelagh Fancy some Chardonnay with your sashimi, Riesling with your ramen, Gewürztraminer with your gyoza? Three of Zakura ’s sites allow you to bring your own wine along to enjoy alongside their sushi and noodle-packed menus (the sake bar on Lower Baggot Street is an obvious exception). Corkage is €8 per bottle with beer also welcome for €1 each. Eatokyo, Temple Bar   Sushi, gyoza, katsu curry and noodle dishes are all on the menu at Eatokyo on Wellington Quay, although a couple of critics have recommended veering towards the hot dishes over the sushi. Corkage is €8. Asahi, Charlemont Street Sushi platters and a smattering of chef specials are the core of the offering at Asahi , though there’s plenty of teriyaki, curry and noodle dishes too. They’ll happily let you bring alone your own wine at €8 per bottle and also have the novel option of €8 per person beer corkage. Brother Hubbard, Ranelagh and Capel Street Alongside their own wine and cocktail menu, Yves at Brother Hubbard Ranelagh welcomes BYO with €10 corkage – with the great selection at Redmond’s right next door, that looks like  a fine option to us. The Capel Street has the same offer, though sadly not the same standard of off-licence in the vicinity. Green Man Wines, Terenure After a long hiatus, the wine bar at Green Man Wines is back open with small plates from chef Dan served Thursday - Saturday. There's an always brilliant wine list, but the real value lies in being able to pluck anything off the shelf for a mere €10 corkage. We're going for Grower Champagne, WBU? Did we miss a great BYO place? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie.

Summer Solstice; summer dining; summer series of our favourites return - there's a definite theme going on this week. From brand new pinxto lunches to special São João baking, here's what we've been daydreaming about eating in Dublin this week... 1) Chargrilled pork ribeye, l'Gueuleton Ribeye steak? How about ribeye pork. Chargrilled and served with a mustard and pepper sauce, fries and a watercress salad. l'Gueuleton have this show-stopping piece of meat on their lunch menu right now, and we won't rest until we've ticked that box. 2) Aged Parmesan agnolotti , Etto Etto do vegetarian food so well that we often choose that option over meat and fish when we're in there. If you needed convincing of that, just look at this week's aged parmesan agnolotti, with girolles, grilled corn, pickled courgette and a hazelnut dressing. 3) Hot Beef Sandwich, Crudo The new season of FX's The Bear drops tomorrow! And if you want to celebrate with a Hot Beef Sandwich, Crudo in Sandymount can hook you up. They've got braised Wagyu beef, Cashel Blue fondue, Tropea onions and 24 month Kilnalahan reserve cheese on Remus‘ sourdough baguette, with a side of beef broth for dipping. 4) Pinxtos, Old Town Wine Bar There's a new Mediterranean-style pintxo menu at Old Town Wine Bar , with one for €5, two for €8, or three for €12 at lunchtime from Monday - Friday. Pick from options like Dingle Bay crab with Basque pepper ragout, or Jamón Ibérico with pan con tomate, and if it's warm you can sit out in the city centre sanctuary of Le Pole Square, ideally sipping on a glass of rosé as you choose. 5) Cakes for São João, Toca Tapioca Those lovely Brazilians at Toca Tapioca in Temple Bar are celebrating São João season with some very special Brazilian baking this week. The midsummer (or midwinter for the Southern hemisphere) festival is a big deal in Latin American, Spain and Portugal, and these guys have brought out the big guns until Sunday 29th June, with Pamonha cake (made from fresh corn), Paçoca Brigadeiros (with peanuts), chilled coconut cake, and even a churros cake. Which one to try first...